


growing up again

by heterocosmica



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, death mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 17:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12040725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heterocosmica/pseuds/heterocosmica
Summary: harry and dudley talk after vernon's funeral





	growing up again

It's been years and he's twenty seven now and they haven't seen each other in a decade. He’s sitting on a swing across from the bench Dudley’s laying on and they’re drinking beer. They’re twenty seven and happily married and they have children and the most grown-up thing they’ve done all day is sitting on a playground and drinking beer. 

‘My daughter floated a pencil yesterday.’  
‘Congratulations! I think. Is that a good thing?’  
‘Yes, I think it is. She’ll be a freak, like you, but, at least, I’m prepared.’  
‘You’re prepared? You mean, you’re gonna treat her like your parents did me?’  
‘No, mate. I’m gonna be OK.’  
‘…’  
‘…’  
‘So, who’d you marry?’  
‘Remember Anna Malkinson from elementary school?’  
‘You married Anna?’  
‘No, actually, I married her sister, Josephine.’  
‘Oh, she seemed nice.’  
‘She is. And she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.’  
‘Hey! She is not! My wife is.’  
‘…’  
‘…’  
‘So, two children?’  
‘Two boys. Expecting a girl in a couple of weeks.’  
‘That’s nice. I have just one girl. We’re trying for a boy, though.’

Silence swallows them and they both stare at a street lamp shedding an orange glow and creating dark shadows over their faces. Harry looks at his cousin’s face and exhales a long breath. 

‘I’m sorry about your dad.’  
‘It’s OK, just his time.’

They’re still just sitting there. One on a swing, the other on a bench. Their faces are wrapped in shadow but the beer bottles glisten and sparkle under the orange light. There’s something so grown-up in drinking beer in a park and it feels like a milestone but they still feel like they’re doing something bad. Because they’re twenty seven and they’re seventeen at the same time and they’re all grown up and they’re still kids and it feels like a stolen moment. Harry drops his bottle and it shatters. The sound breaks the silence and it’s time. Time to grow up again.


End file.
